Feeler mechanism for looms



|. snow.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, I920- Patented Aug. 9,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- Wvavrma I. SNOW.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1920- Patented Aug. 9, 1921,

2 SHEETS-SHE'ET 2- Fig.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC snow, or LAWRENCE, massacnusnrrs, Assrenon r0 DRAPER .oo'aronnrron,

or HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A conronarron or MAINE.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Aug. 9, 1921.

Application filed March 8, 1920 Serial No. 364,158.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Isaac SNOW, a citizen of the United States, residin at Lawrence, in the county of Essex and tate of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler Mechanisms for Looms of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to feeler mecha nisms for looms, in which means is provided for effecting replenishment of filling when that in the active shuttle becomes substantially exhausted. I

Various forms of feeler mechanisms have heretofore been suggested, amongwhich is that type of feeler mechanism wherein the feeler member is moved longitudinally of the shuttle when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, and by such movement effects replenishment of filling The present invention is more especially 1 directed to improvements on this type of feeler mechanism, and aims to provide a feeler mechanism which shall be sensitive to the presence or substantial absence of filling in the shuttle, so that partial picks shall be avoided, and yet the filling shall be replenished with the least amount of waste.

An important feature of the invention consists of a feeler having an elastic or resilient portion which is placed under stress or tension as the feeler is moved frontwardly on a detecting beat and which tends to impart lateral movement to the feeler but is prevented from effecting such movement by engagement of the feeler with the filling on a detecting beat until substantial exhaustion thereof.

Another important feature of the invention consists of a feeler formed of elastic or resilient wire and a deflecting member which places the flexible or resilient wire feeler under lateral tension it moves frontwardly on a detecting beat.

In the practical development of the above features and as including the new features and novel combination of parts, the feeler is formed entirely of wire and has a resilient or elastic portion conveniently provided by bending the wire into a rearing engaging portion. When the feeler is in rearward feeling position, the frontwardly-projecting' leg which constitutes the elastic or resilient portion extends into proximity to a deflector, which bends orimparts stress to the leg as the feeler. ismoved frontwardly on a detecting beat and thereby tends to impart lateral movement to the feeler which is held from such movement by engagement with the filling until substantial exhaustion thereof. may be variously controlled, but is preferably formed as a disk mounted for rotary movement, the effect being that as the resilient or elastic leg of the feeler moves frontwardly, the deflector may rotate and avoid to a large extent, the frictional resistance that would otherwise interfere with the frontward movement of the feeler. This arrangement increases the sensitiveness of the feeler mechanism and prolongs the life thereof by distributing the wear between moving parts.

The feeler, constructed as described, is light and responsive to the forces acting upon itduring the feeler action, and its bodily frontward movement under the push of the surface within the shuttle is readily utilized to impart lateral movement thereto when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a good, practical form of the invention, the

details of which may be modified within applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a detached detail on an enlarged scale, showing the action of the feeler mechanism when a working supply of filling is present inthe shuttle on a detecting beat,

and r Fig. 3 is a View similar to that of Fig. 2, but showing the action of the feeler mechanism when the filling is substantially exhausted.

The loom frame 1 may be of usual conating parts. Secured to the loom frame struction suitable for supporting the operare bearing brackets 2 on each side of the loom for supporting the transverse or rock shaft 3. Rising from the rock shaft 3 is the arm 1, to the upper end of which is pivotally connected at 5 the latch 6, the rear end portion 7 of which is adapted to be engaged by an operating member 8 when filling is to be replenished.

The lay is provided with the usual shuttlebox 9 for the reception of the shuttle 10.. The front wall of the shuttle-box is slotted at 11, and so also is the adjacent wall of the shuttle as at 12, the construction being such that when the shuttle in which the filling carrier 13 is mounted is in the replenishing box, the slots or openings 11 and 12 of the shuttle-box and shuttle will register to permit the entrance of the feeler members as will later appear.

The shipper stand 14 has extending therefrom the slotted supporting arm 15., on which is adjustably mounted the feeler stand 16. This stand may be adjustably connected to the arm 15 by a bolt or the like 17. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated,

U the feeler, which isdesignated in its entirety by the numeral 18, is shown as having a substantially U-shaped construction provided with a long leg 19 constituting the main body of the feeler and a shorter leg 20 constituting the resilient or elastic portion, and upon the face of the rounded portion of the U-shaped construction are provided the fillingeengaging teeth 21. The feeler is mounted on the feeler stand for bodily movement toward and from the front of the loom and for movement longitudinally of the shuttle. In the present instance, the feeler stand 16 is provided with a flange 22 at the front portion, having a hole 23 in which the long leg 19 or main body of the feeler member is slidably mounted, and the rear end is provided with a laterally elongated bearing for the feeler permitting movement thereof toward and from the front of the 100111 and also in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle. The rear bearing is preferably formed in a bridge member 24 held in spaced relation to the under face of the stand by the upwardly-projecting ears 25. As a simple and effective means for yieldin 'ly holding the feeler in its rearward position, the leg 19 is surrounded by a coiled spring 26 having one end reacting against the flange 22, and the other end against a twist 19 formed in the wire of which the feeler is constructed. Rearward movement of the feeler under the action of the spring is limited by a suitable stop which may be conveniently formed by bending the end of the leg 19, as at 27. The shorter leg or prong 20 constituting the resilient or elastic portion of the feeler member is normally held in spaced relation to the arm 19, as shown in Fig. 1, due to the resiliency of the wire of which the feeler is preferably constructed; and the forward end of the leg or prong is positioned to press against a deflector carried by the feeler stand, the con struction being such thatwhen the feeler is forced toward the front of the loom by the frontward pressure on a detezf ng beat, the leg or prong will either be distorted from its normal position as shown in Fig. 2, or will swing the entire feeler in'a lateral direction, as shgwn in Fig.- 3. If a substantial amount of filling is presented to the toothed end of the feeler, the filling will cooperate with the teeth to prevent the lateral movement just referred to; but when substantial exhaustion of the filling occurs. this lateral displacement will no longer be prevented.

Advantage is taken of the lateral movement of the feeler for effecting replenishment of filling when it has become substan tially exhausted. To this end, a connecting rod or transmitter 28 may be provided,one end of which has a downwardly-projecting portion 29 and is slidably mounted in a slot 30 formed in the feeler stand; The opposite end of the connecting rod or transmitter is connected to one arm of thebell crank lever 81, the other arm of which is positioned to engage the latch 6, whereby rocking of the hell crank lever places the latch 6 in the path of movement of the operating member 8, to effect filling replenishment.

l lereinbefore mention'has been made of a deflector for imparting tension to the resilient or elastic portion of the feeler as the latter is moved frontwardly on a detecting beat, and thereby tending to give lateral movement to the feeler to effect replenishment of filling. The deflector may be variously contrived, but in the present instance it is formed as a rotating member or disk 32 pivotally supported on the feeler stand at 33, the construction being such that as the feeler is pushed frontwardly on a detecting beat the resilient portion or prong 20 will ride frontwardly on the disk or rotating member, and in case the feeler member is prevented from lateral movement by engagement with the filling, the resilient portion or prong 20 will be deflected or bent laterally relatively to the main body of the feeler member. If, however, the filling is substantially exhausted, on a detecting heat, the eeler will no longer be held from lateral movement responsive to the elastic or resilient impulse of the prong 20, and will be deflected, as in Fig. 3, as the prong 2O rides along the deflector on its frontward move- Cir ment, and filling replenishment'will be effected through the train of mechanism de scribed.

As the prong 20 moves frontwa-rdly, it will cause rotative movement of the deflector and consequently minimize friction and wear between the parts, prolong the life of the feeler mechanism, and avoid interference lij with the sensitiveness of the feeler mechanism. I

In its lateral movement, the feeler will engage the downwardlyextending portion 29 in the transmitter or connecting rod 28 and move it sufiiciently to place the latch 6 in operative position relative to the operating member. In the particular embodiment of the invention shown, the transmitter 28 is retained by the bell crank 31 and the weight of the latch 6 in a position in which the downwardly-projecting portion of this rod 29 abuts against an end of the slot 30. It will be obvious, however, that various other means, if desired, may be provided to retain the transmitter 28 in position to be operated by the feeler member 18 when the latter is moved laterally.

It will be apparent that various changes may be made in the construction herein disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In a feeler mechanism for looms, a feeler stand, a feeler slidably mounted thereon and having a toothed portion positioned to engage a surface within the shuttle upon each detecting beat, resilient means for'normally holding said feeler in its extended position, means operable by a lateral movement of said feeler for effecting replenishment of filling, said feeler having anintegral resilient portion arranged to exert a lateral force upon the feeler to operate said replenishment effecting means upon movement of the feeler toward the front of the loom, and held by the filling against lateral movement on a detecting beat until substantial exhaustion of the filling occurs.

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, a feeler stand, a feeler slidably mounted thereon and having a toothed portion positioned to engage a surface within the shuttle upon each detecting beat, said feeler also having a yielding prong, yielding means for nor mally holding the feeler and prong in rear ward position, and means operable by a lateral movement of the feeler for effecting replenishment of filling, said yielding prong being arranged to exerta lateral force upon the feeler to operate said replenishment effecting means upon movement of the feeler toward the front of the loom, and said feeler being held by the filling against lateral movement on a detecting beat until substantial exhaustion of the filling occurs.

3. In a feeler mechanism for looms, a feeler stand, a substantially U-shaped feeler slidably mounted thereon and having a toothed portion positioned to engage a surface within the shuttle upon each detecting beat, one of the legs of said U-shaped feeler being positioned to abut against an element upon said stand to exert a yielding laterally displacing force upon said feeler as the same is moved toward. the front of the loom, and means operable by a lateral movement of the feelttr for effecting replenishment of filling, said feelcr being held by he filling against lateral movement on a detecting beat until substantial exhaustion of the filling occurs.

4. In a feeler mechanism for looms, a feeler stand, a substantially U-shaped feeler slidably mounted thereupon and having a toothed portion positioned to engage a surface within the shuttle upon each detecting beat, an anti-friction roller positioned in the path of movement of one of the legs of the feeler and arranged to exert a lateral displaeingforce upon the feeler as it is moved toward. the front of the loom, and means operable by lateral movement of the feeler for effecting replenishment of filling, said feeler being held by the filling against lateral movement on a detecting beat until substantial exhaustion of the filling occurs.

5. In a feeler mechanism for looms, a feeler stand, a feeler slidably carried thereby and having a laterally yielding portion, and a toothed portion positioned to engage a surface within the shuttle upon each detecting beat, a roller mounted in fixedposition in the path of movement of the laterally yielding portion of said feeler and arranged to exert a yielding laterally displacing force upon said feeler as it is moved toward the front of the loom, and means operable by the lateral movement of said feeler member for effecting replenishment of filling.

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, a feeler stand, a feeler slidably and laterally movable upon said stand and having a toothed portion positioned to yieldingly engage a surface within the shuttle upon each detecting beat, a resilient prong carried by said feeler and positioned to be forced against an element of said stand upon movement of the feeler toward the front of the loom whereby a laterally displacing force is exerted upon said feeler during said movement, and means operable by the lateral movement of said feeler for effecting replenishment of filling, said feeler being sold by the filling against lateral movement on a detecting beat until substantial exhaustion of the filling occursv 7. In a feeler mechanism, a 'feeler formed entirely, of wire and having teeth to engage a surface within the shuttle on each detecting beat, and having an integral resilient prong positioned to exert a yielding laterally displacing force upon the feeler for ef-' footing replenishment of the filling, and means for slidably supporting the feeler.

8. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a resilient wire feeler mounted for bodily movement toward and from the front of the loom, and means which is engaged by the feeler as it moves front- Wardly for bending the resilient Wire 'feeler and thereby placing it under lateral stress.

9. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler formed of resilient wire and supported for bodily movement toward and from the front of the 100m, a spring separate from the feeler and normally acting to move the resilient Wire feeler roar\mrdly and means for bending the resilient Wire feeler and placing it under lateral stress as it moves frontivardly.

10. A feeler formed of resilient wire bent to provide two legs, one of which constitutes the main body of the feeler and the other of which forms a resilient portion, and means for supporting the teeler "for bodily move ment toward and from the "front of the loom.

and an abutment for pressing laterally upon one leg of the feeler as the feeler is bodily moved frontwardly.

11. A feeler formed of Wire having atoothed filling engaging end and resilient leg portion, means for yieldingly supporting the feeler, and means acting upon the resilient leg portion of the feeler as the feeler moves frontwardly on a detecting beat tending to move the feeler laterally.

12. A feeler formed 01 resilient Wire having a toothed filling engaging endyand a side resilient free leg portion adapted to exert a yielding laterally displacing force upon the feeler. v

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ISAAC SNOW. 

